Time After Time
by potusfitz
Summary: A series of different olitz one shots. UPDATE PROMPT: "The morning after their first time on The Trail."
1. Chapter 1

**A/N** : **Hey guys! This is my first time writing a scandal fic so I hope you go easy on me. This is gonna be a series of one shots; some AU while others would be canon to the show's story line. If you have requests for the future chapters, please leave a review or tweet me at: _goldwyndempsey_. So here it goes! Hope you guys like it and once again, please leave a review!**

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 ** _Prompt: "Olivia or Fitz being sick while one takes care of the other."_** ** _(This is set in S4, post 4x15 when Liv threw the ring at Fitz because of West Angola)_**

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Chapter 1:

Olivia Pope is many things: gladiator, president's mistress, and mother fixer are just some of the titles she takes upon on a daily basis. But on this particular day, she was only one thing and that was _tired._ With her bag in one hand, she rubbed her temples in an attempt to try and relieve the pain from the headache that's been killing her all day.

OPA's been business as usual; taking all the cases they could possibly handle. She and the rest of the team spend most nights in the office, working nonstop in order to fix and handle all their clients' problems. Working helped her avoid the inner demons that were threatening to drown her from inside out. It also meant she didn't have to sleep. Ever since she got home after the kidnapping, sleeping only led to her waking up panting, clutching her chest almost painfully, from all the different nightmares she experienced.

There were those she couldn't even remember but they were the kind that woke her up in a cold sweat; heart beating rapidly. On some nights, she'd dream of that cell, seeing herself running away from it but never being able to escape. Lastly, there were those nights, the _worst_ nights, where she doesn't dream of that red door or wake up disoriented. Instead, she would see _his_ face; see the pain in his features as she throws her ring, _their_ ring, at him as if it didn't mean a thing. She wakes up from those nightmares slowly, eyes blank and feeling empty as he continues to haunt her even in consciousness. As she wakes, she revels in the pain and plays memories of them in her mind. As she tortures herself for a little more, she then grabs the Valium as she does every night, downing two. She lies back down and closes her eyes; the image of her throwing _doux bébé_ at him playing over and over. Finally, when she watches the memory of him walking out of her door, his pained expression the last thing she sees, the pills take their effect and make her black out.

On her way up to her apartment, Olivia felt the exhaustion trying to take over her body. Her shoulders were tense and the pulsing pain in her temples didn't go unnoticed. It was only eight in the evening and since she didn't want to sleep, she brought a few files from work to keep her up for the rest of the night. Stepping out of the elevator, she realized there might be a change to her plans as she shifted her gaze between the two Secret Service Agents standing near her door.

Not in the mood for an argument, Olivia barely acknowledged the two as she unlocked her door.

"You can tell the President of the United States that I _do not_ want to see him and that I'm not going anywhere with you." She briefly saw the two exchange worried looks until one of them spoke up.

"Miss Pope, I believe that isn't possible."

Olivia felt herself chuckle dryly. Turning back to them, she noticed the slightly terrified looks on their faces and it nearly made her laugh.

" _You_ tell the president that I am not someone he can summon whenever he wishes. I am not some _toy_ he can get his babysitters to pick up whenever he feels bored. Goodnight gentlemen."

Not letting them say anything else, she opened her door forcefully and slammed it behind her. She leaned her back against it and closed her eyes, trying to regulate her breathing. Placing one hand on her chest, she scolded herself for nearly losing control at the thought of almost seeing him again. After a while, she opened her eyes and walked towards the living room, the exhaustion and the sudden emotional turmoil making her want to collapse on the couch. She vaguely heard the contents of her bag spill as she dropped it on the carpeted floor yet paid no attention to it. As she removed her heels and was getting ready to sit, a gasp fell upon her lips at what she saw.

Fitz was in her apartment.

And he was fast asleep on her couch.

Her hand instinctively reached out to touch him but she pulled back immediately. There were so many questions running through her mind but all she could focus on was _him._ She willed herself to look away or _hell_ even wake him up and tell him to leave but she _couldn't_.

She didn't _want_ to.

So slowly, she made her way over to where he was and kneeled so she could look at him more closely. Still not touching him, she observed him quietly, as if committing his face to memory. Olivia could tell he was in distress. Even in his sleep he was slightly frowning, his stubborn curl falling on his forehead while his eyes were tightly shut. Her eyes traced the bridge of his nose then landed on his soft lips. Clenching her hand, she found herself aching to trace and touch his lips with her fingertips. But before she could decide, she was startled when he let out a throaty cough and began to shiver slightly. Frowning slightly, she reached out once more and didn't hesitate this time as her hand gently landed on his cheek in an attempt to soothe him. Instantly, worry filled her as she felt him burning up. He stirred at the feeling of her hand against his cheek as chills began to wrack his body even harder.

"Fitz, you're burning up! We need to go get you a doctor." She panicked while running her fingers through his hair in attempt to wake him up gently and try to calm herself down in the process.

With difficulty, Fitz finally gained consciousness, trying to get a grip of his surroundings, when his eyes found hers. Tears began to fill her eyes and all he could hear was her whispering his name repeatedly, trying to get his attention. He wanted so badly to erase that frown on her face and wipe her tears but he felt so weak, shivers controlling his body. The past few weeks filled with sleepless nights and without eating anything remotely decent have finally taken its toll on his body.

"L-Livvie." He managed to stutter weakly and it didn't go unnoticed. Once the words left his lips, Liv was wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest, sobs wracking her body and the all-familiar guilt was consuming her once again. She didn't know if she was crying out of relief at being so close to him again after everything or at the sight of him looking so vulnerable and helpless.

"We need to get you to a doctor, Fitz. You're sick. You have a fever. We can't just stay here and do nothing. " She kept on rambling as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, shaking his head in reluctance as he tried to get as warm as possible. She felt so good in his arms and the feeling of being with her again almost made him feel a little better. However, Liv wasn't fazed.

"I'm gonna call your agents, okay? We'll take the limo and we'll get you to the hospital, baby." Pulling away, she wiped her tears and attempted to get on her feet. But before she could step away, he used his remaining strength to latch onto her hand, making her look back at him with sad eyes.

"Don't need them. Only need you, Livvie. Don't go. Just stay. _Please_ stay." His voice cracked, and he held on to her hand as tight as he could muster. He repeated his words over and over, pleading for her to hear him out.

This seemed to break Liv's resolve because in the next second, she was kneeling in front of the couch again so they were at eye level. Gazing at him, Liv came to the realization that she was just so tired of _pretending_ ; pretending that she didn't feel empty whenever he wasn't by her side, pretending that she wouldn't do the same thing as he had for her if it meant saving his life, and pretending that this _man_ didn't own her the way she owns him because he, too, is the love of her life and she'd be damned if she'd ever lose him, lose _them_. Framing his face with shaky hands, she held his pleading gaze with her eyes full of unshed tears.

"I need you too, Fitz. I'm so sorry. I love you. I'm sorry." She whispered over and over, hoping her words would be enough to mend them both for tonight.

His soft sobs resonated against her neck as she whispered sweet nothings in his ear. They stayed like that for a while; with Liv stroking his hair and Fitz trying to get as close to her as possible. After a few moments, his breathing fell into a regular pattern and she knew he must have fallen asleep. Carefully laying his head back onto the pillow, Liv stood up and went to her room to grab a change of clothes for him. Knowing she didn't have any pills besides Valium in the house, she fetched a small towel, filling it with warm water before heading back to the living room.

After turning the heat up, she grabbed one of the towels and placed the basin on the table. Fitz was already fast asleep and appeared to be more relaxed compared to the state she's seen him in earlier. Feeling his temperature with the back of her hand, she noticed that his fever was still high. Moving closer to him, she began to unbutton his white oxford. Trying to regulate her breathing, she couldn't stop the involuntary gasp that escaped her lips at the sight of his body. Being so familiar with it, it was unmistakable that he put off a little weight over the last time she saw him. Regardless, beginning to smooth the wash cloth over him, he was still the most beautiful man she has ever seen. Passing the towel over his chest, she then moved it down to his well-defined abdomen. She passed the area carefully, chastising herself for lingering too much. Easing his shirt away, she passed the towel over his broad shoulders then continued down his long amd definded arms. Worry came over her when he remained unconscious even as she pushed his oxford off completely and put him in is NAVY sweatshirt.

Grabbing another warm towel, she eased it over the sides of his face down to his neck, trying to get him as warm as possible. After some time, she folded it twice, placing the warm cloth on his forehead, hoping it would help in easing his condition. Now done with her task, she found herself wanting to touch him once more, her hands clenching on their own. So slowly, and deliberately, she brushed his cheek with the back of her fingers; trailing them downwards then back up again. She repeated the pattern for several more times, her fingers now gently brushing against his lips. As she was about to trail her fingers over his cheek, he suddenly moved, taking her hand in his and placing it over his heart. With his eyes still closed, he brought their joined hands to his lips and placed the softest of kisses there.

The gesture brought her to tears for the second time that night. Suddenly, the fateful memories of their last encounter ceased to matter as they locked gazes, blue meeting brown. There were no words spoken between them. Simply looking at each other, and holding onto each other for dear life, they knew they had the same words in mind. And that was more than enough.

I missed you.

I'm sorry.

Don't leave me.

 _I love you._

Without any hesitation, she slid next to him on her couch and took him into her arms. She felt his arms wound tightly around her waist, his leg moving on top of hers, eliminating any space between them. She felt his hot tears against her neck as he hid his face in the crook of her neck, placing feather-like kisses against it. With her chin on top of his head, she allowed her tears to fall freely. The emotional turmoil of the past weeks have finally caught up to her and she couldn't do anything but let it all out. She cried for the inescapable fear that the trauma has caused her. She cried because of how much she missed him. She cried because having him in her arms made everything else feel right. And she _cried_ because it's what she should've done all this time instead of driving him away.

They stayed that way for what seemed to be minutes but felt like more. Slowly, she felt him raise his head to look up at her, his eyes showing hesitation. She waited patiently, watching him as he played with ends of her hair. Linking their fingers, he finally broke the silence.

"I was hoping I could stay here tonight." He grinned coyly at her, suddenly shy as if he was scared of being rejected by her. He bent his head back down and started playing with the ends of her hair, purposely avoiding her gaze.

Smiling at his antics, she tipped his chin up so she could get a glimpse of those baby blues. Repeating his gesture, she took their linked fingers, placed them on her chest, and pressed a soft kiss on the back of his hand.

"Well _I_ was kinda hoping you could stay forever." A tearful grin lit up her face and he couldn't help but smile back at her.

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They were able to let go of their repercussions and find sleep that night; with their arms wrapped around one another and hands tucked in between their chests.

Olivia knew that they had a lot to discuss in the morning. She had a lot of questions and so did he. But before she passed out, she sighed in relief; as she became certain of one thing:

Wrapped securely in his arms, there would be no nightmares to bother her tonight.

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 **A/N: There we go, guys! My first ever olitz one shot. Hope you guys could drop a review and tell me what you think. Don't forget to leave your requests. Much love!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** : Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait for this update. I was so busy with uni and everything else that I couldn't find the time to write. But now that I'm finished with college and about to graduate soon (YAY!), I promise to update more often! So as usual, if you have requests for the future chapters, please leave a review or tweet me at: **_goldwyndempsey_**. So here it goes! Hope you guys like it and once again, please leave a review for it feeds the muse!

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 ** _Prompt: The morning after the events of, "The Trail"_**

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They say that when faced with a challenging situation, a person has the option between fight and flight.

Meaning you could either stay persevered and face the problem head-on or detach and avoid the pressing issue at hand.

And on this particular morning, with Fitz's arm wrapped snugly around her waist, Olivia's mind was leaning towards the latter. Her thoughts were going over a mile a minute; tensing up as she registered everything that happened and how they'll change things drastically from this point forward.

However, even with the anxiety and tenseness waiting to take over, it appeared as if her body had other ideas.

The sensations from their _late night_ activities had left her completely relaxed and sated after the longest time she could remember. Her whole body was pleasantly sore from the generous and incredible way Fitz worshipped and loved her through the evening up to the early hours of the morning. Regardless of her attempts to conceal it, a smile made its way to her lips as she took in the warmth his close proximity offered. With his arm around her and a leg finding its place between hers, eliminating any space between them in this moment, she tried basking in their little cocoon, leaning further into his embrace and focused on his breathing as he continued to slumber in bliss.

Thinking back, Olivia never gave that much importance to her personal life. With the problems in her family to the different troubles she had to face at a very young age, she made it a point to forego the matters that anchored her to the past and focus on the path ahead of her instead. Because of how she chose to live her life, there's always been a part of her that felt empty; a void caused by the misfortunes and the series of consequences that came from poor decisions and choices. Instead of dwelling on how she felt, on the sole loneliness that constantly reminded her of how forlorn she actually was, she poured herself into her work as _the_ mother fixer alongside the occasional encounters with men she had no plan of seeing the morning after. Olivia believes that these choices are what made her into who she is now: an accomplished and formidable woman that always aims to give nothing but the best; an independent woman who doesn't rely on feelings and attachment; and a smart woman who follows her gut and instinct, choosing to live her life tactically and according to plan.

That was her at least until last night.

Or until _him_ to be exact.

And as he began to stir behind her, pressing his smiling lips to the nape of her neck, nose nuzzling her skin as his body registers who he's with, Olivia knows she's done for. Because as someone who's tactical, as someone who always sticks to the plan, she knows for a fact that falling in love with Fitzgerald Grant wasn't a part of it.

Not being able to help herself, she shifted in his embrace until she was face to face with him; brown meeting blue for the first time that morning. No words needed, their hands freely roamed, reacquainting themselves with the other's body; committing the spots that made them writhe and moan to memory.

"Hi." She uttered nervously, fixing her gaze on their now joined hands. The reality of everything was finally catching up, making her feel unsure and self-conscious. Using his free hand, he cupped her cheek then tipped her chin upwards to meet his steady gaze.

"Hi." Still hazy from sleep, his voice sounded much deeper and seductive, prompting a shiver to run down her spine. The single word he uttered was so simple, a complete opposite of the complicated mess of whatever _this_ was between them.

"We shouldn't have done that." She immediately jumped right in, addressing the elephant in the room.

"No we shouldn't have. But I don't regret it any of it, Livvie." Olivia chastised her heart for beating rapidly at the boyish grin he directed her way. Getting the rare opportunity to look at him, to _really_ have the chance to look at him and not just those stolen glances she often sent his way during the campaign trail, she realized that this is the most carefree she's ever seen him. The usually serious look he had during the campaign discussions was now replaced by a wry smile and crinkled eyes. His constantly tamed and slick backed curls were now a mess from the way she tangled and ran her fingers through them. Unable to tear her gaze away from him in this rare form, Olivia wanted nothing more than to stay by his side forever if that's what it took because she'd do anything, and she'd _give_ anything, if it meant seeing him always this happy. Fitzgerald Grant was a man that deserved happiness. And from the look on his face, it shows that it suited him well. But no matter the circumstances, Olivia could never be the reason behind his smiles. She could never be the one to make Fitzgerald Grant happy because that was reserved for his wife and his children. Even if they did share something special, even if she mattered to him, to everyone else she'd just be his campaign fixer and _in_ _reality_ , that's the only thing that holds significance.

"The pancake breakfast starts in less than an hour. It's best that you get ready, governor." Holding on to her last resolve, she broke free from his grip with a heavy heart and made a move to get up from the bed. While she was attempting to put on her discarded (and ruined) shirt, Olivia gasped as Fitz suddenly held onto her, his arms wrapped around her waist tightly with his face pressed to her back.

"Don't leave me. I need you, Livvie. Don't go." And as he pleaded behind her, her eyes welled up involuntarily at the realization that he was just alone as she was. With Big Jerry's indifference towards his only son and his mother passing at a young age, Fitz lost the chance at being in a loving family as early as Liv had. With nothing but his kids and his marriage with Mellie, he didn't really have anything or anyone else to rely on. So as cruel as fate gets, here they were: two people searching for something to fill up the emptiness within them and found the answer in each other; however, at the wrong place and time.

Fitz was now standing behind her; his whole frame completely surrounding her, giving her no room to escape. The vulnerable person a few moments ago was now gone and in his stead was now a determined man aiming to get his way and nothing less. As his body collided with hers, she couldn't help the moan that escaped her at the feel of his warm breath and lips ghosting near her ear.

"I'm giving you two options. I'm going to allow you to run from me, from _us_ , as early as now. You can walk out that door and pretend that none of this ever happened. You leave now and this would just be a one-night stand. If it's what you really want, I won't bother or worry you anymore unless it's something about the campaign; you have my word on that, Livvie." She closed her eyes at his words, understanding the implications of this choice. Before she could dwell on that however, he drew her even closer to him, speaking even more clearly, even though his voice was nearly down to a soft whisper.

"Or you could stay. You could stay and be with me, Olivia. I know that I'm married and I understand that I'm running for the highest position in the country. Yet even though there are so many reasons why we can't, I want you to be with me anyway; I _need_ you to be with me anyway because I love you and God help me but I can't _be_ without you. I know it's selfish of me but I want to be happy, Liv. I want to keep being happy and I need you by my side to do that. So you can either choose to leave now or be with me for the long haul but I just need you to be sure of what you decide. Because once you finally accept that I'm never going to stop wanting you, and the _moment_ you realize that what we have is worth fighting these damned odds, I am Never. Letting. You. Go." The intensity of what his promises held were contrasted by the softness of his voice and the tenderness in his touches. A moment of stillness passed, the both of them basking in the quiet. And as Olivia stood in his arms struggling to make a decision, Fitz chose to bury his face in the crook of her neck, trying to memorize her smell and as much of her as he can in that moment; hoping for the best yet still bracing himself for the worst.

Finally, she began to hold her head up before slowly turning around in his embrace. For the second time that morning, brown met blue as they locked gazes; everything else around them ceasing to matter once more. When she still refused to speak however, he took it as a bad sign and began lowering his arms from her frame. She was nearly out of his grip when her own arms set in motion and circled his torso, surprising him into stillness. Overwhelmed, Olivia nestled closer to him and hid her face in his chest, placing a series of soft kisses there, allowing them to speak the words she couldn't seem to find just yet.

 _Let's be together._

 _We're worth it._

 _I'm yours._

Understanding the meaning behind her actions, tears welled up in his eyes as he brought his arms back around her. If anything else, he was now hers as much as she was his and the mere thought once again proved that she is the sole reason and source for the happiness that comes to him.

After sharing a few moments of whispered declarations and intimate caresses, she slowly began to back away from him; a wry grin formed on her lips, her gaze never wavering from his.

"Wanna take a shower, Governor Grant?"

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Fitzgerald Grant was in a good mood.

There was a certain skip to his step and a huge grin on his face as he never missed a beat during the pancake breakfast; allowing him to outperform Sally Langston in all aspects. With Cyrus thanking him repeatedly for stepping up today, Fitz tried to bite his tongue and prevent himself from saying that it should be the shower and _his_ woman Cyrus should be thanking.

And as he continued to work his magic through the event, he didn't notice Olivia watching him from a few feet away.

Olivia Pope lived most of her life alone. She trusted her instincts solely and never relied on her emotions.

But as she watched from a distance; heart beating erratically at the sight of him and lips tingling from the way he kissed before they parted ways, Olivia figured that this feeling of being with him was something she could get used to; a feeling she _wanted_ to get used to.

At least until time and circumstances allow it.

At least before she has to end it.

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 **A/N** : So there goes the second one shot! I have to admit that I had a difficult time writing this mainly because we have no idea what actually happened after their first time so I hope I did it justice. I hope you guys liked it and once again please leave your review for this chapter and other requests for the future one shots!


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